Exorbitance
by SlytherinFlame
Summary: St. V's Day. Barry is strapped for ideas of what to get Dawn. So strapped, in fact, that he looks to Brock for ideas. Desperate much? Will he find the perfect gift or drown in the cliches of the holiday? Barry/Dawn. Twinleafshipping. A little fluffy.


"I really hope you like it," Barry said as he presented the gift-wrapped lump to Dawn. His eyes were anxious, his palms were sweating profusely, and it took all of his self-restraint to not hide under a rock.

The gift itself hadn't been an easy thing to find. In fact, the more Barry thought about it, the more he realized the whole hunt for the gift in the first place had been completely ridiculous.

As Barry saw Dawn's face light up as she opened the package, he quickly reminisced all the pain and suffering he had gone through to get the perfect gift:

"Brock, I need help. Girl help." Barry clearly was low energy and, to Brock, this was in

Brock, seizing the opportunity to have the spotlight, quickly agreed, "Sure, kiddo, what can I do for you?"

"Valentine's Day," Barry said through clenched teeth.

Brock's face suddenly became animated even more and he said, "Oooh. What do you need?" as if he was the mother of a bride getting ready for her wedding.

"Well, Dawn and I have been a couple for four months so..."

"Wow, that's a really long time, Barry! I've never had a relationship for close to that long..."

Barry looked annoyed, "You've never had a relationship, Brock."

"Oh, yeah, but still, you need to get her something nice."

"My point exactly. Now let's get this over with quickly," he checked his Poketch, "Geez, it's already one o'clock, we got to go!"

He dragged Brock with him to the Jubilife Mall, while Brock gushed over all the expensive things he could get Dawn.

"You could get her a diamond ring! Well, you're not getting married... Or you could get her a box of chocolates the size of a small human, but she might not like that... Wait, how about her own yacht?"

"Come on Brock."

Upon arriving at the mall, Brock proceeded to take Barry to every jewelry store he could find.

"Get her this gold necklace. That's a pretty pink heart pendant over there. Or how about this swan brooch?" Brock suggested excitedly.

Barry glanced at all of the price tags. "Five hundred dollars? No way!"

"Fine, fine, let's go over to the perfume store."

"Perfume?" Barry sounded terrified, but Brock gripped him by the arm and practically carried him over to the heavily scented area of the mall.

"This one smells like roses," exclaimed Brock, his face almost squashed against the shelf of crystal perfume bottles, "This one smells like daisies! And this one smells like..." he smelled it and then looked disgusted, "well, maybe not that one."

"Hey, uh, Brock, this is getting a little expensive, and you know, I don't think Dawn could care less about smelly stuff..." said Barry, exasperated.

"Hmm," Brock said thinking aloud, "Well, girls like clothes and make up and...and..."

"Pokemon?" suggested Barry, haphazardly.

"No, no, girls like girly stuff right?" Brock said, scratching his chin, "What if we got her nail stuff?"

And with that, he forced Barry into a Nail Studio.

"I've never ever seen any males in my shop!" the elderly lady behind the front counter remarked, happily surprised.

"We're here to see the latest in nail colors!" replied Brock, pointing to himself and Barry in such a way that he almost poked Barry's left eye out.

"Oh, yes, that's definitely my mission in life," agreed Barry, sarcastically, as he flinched away from Brock's fingers.

The lady behind the counter ignored Barry and smiled at Brock, "So, would this polish be for you?"

Brock blushed, "No, no, it's for his girlfriend," he said, jabbing his fingers in Barry direction again.

Barry barely avoided having Brock's pinky shoved up his nostril and nodded, sighing.

The lady winked at Barry and went behind the counter to get samples of different colors.

Barry sent a seething look at Brock, "Good job you moron, now she thinks we're gay!"

Brock ignored Barry and looked behind the counter at the pedicure stations. Some were occupied by women and some by teenage girls.

"That looks almost painful doesn't it?" said Barry, looking in the same direction.

Brock hadn't heard his comment, "That girl over there is gorgeous! Look at those perfect nails!"

"Shut up Brock," said Barry, quickly regretting bringing Brock on this expedition.

The lady finally came back, holding several trays of different shades of pinks, purples, and reds.

"What tone skin does she have?" she asked Barry.

Barry hesitated, "I can't just buy her purple?"

The old lady laughed, "Life isn't that simple kiddo. Is she fair?"

Brock piped in, "She's the same tone as Barry actually."

Barry swiveled to stare Brock down angrily, but the lady looked pleased.

"That makes things much easier, hold out your hand," she said to Barry.

Grudgingly, Barry held out his hand and the lady snatched it and placed it on the counter.

"Here's Party Pink. This is one of my favorites." she stated as she dipped a brush in a flamboyant pink bottle and spread it on Barry's thumb.

Barry stepped back in mid-brush, "I'm a dude! You're not painting my nails!"

"Well, sonny, I've got to find the right shade," said the lady, gesturing for him to put his hand back down on the counter.

"Do what she tells you," commanded Brock, giving Barry a death-stare.

"No way. This is too much. Sorry, but I'm out of here!" Barry announced defiantly, turning on his heels and marching out the door.

He made his way home and sat down at the kitchen table, wondering what his next step would be. He had lost Brock's support, not that it was helpful in the slightest, and he had run out of ideas. He still had to get Dawn a gift however, that was an unspoken rule. She would never forgive if he didn't and he knew it. Lost of inspiration, Barry sulked.

"What's wrong?" asked Barry's mother as she walked into the kitchen and started dinner.

"It's a long story and you can't help me..." grumbled Barry.

"Try me. I've got time." she replied, smiling slightly.

"Fine. Long story short, I need the perfect present for Dawn."

His mother's eyes lit up, "I can help you with that Barry. It's for Valentine's Day right?" she inquired, and Barry nodded, "I need to get your father something...but that's not important now. I have something you might like..."

She left and quickly returned with a small box.

Looking into it, Barry realized it was the perfect gift he was waiting for.

So when Dawn opened it up she immediately threw herself into Barry's surprised, but not unenthusiastic arms.

"It's perfect!" she squealed, happily, and kissed him full on the mouth.

The gift?

New hair slides.

Happy Valentine's Day ! 3


End file.
